Virtual split in Cong after Rangasamy`s resignation

Cracks widened in the ruling Congress in Puducherry on Thursday as estranged party leader N Rangasamy and loyalist P Angalane resigned from their Assembly membership.

They represented Thattanchavady and Tirubuvanai (reserved) constituencies respectively. While Thattanchavady is an urban constituency, Thirubuvanai is a village segment.

With the resignations of Rangasamy and Angalane, the strength of Congress has fallen to 11 from 13.

Efforts of PCC leader A V Subramanian and former TNCC president M Krishnaswamy on Wednesday to ensure that Rangasamy changed his plan to quit, clearly, did not succeed.

It is speculated that Rangasamy will float a new party and N R Peravai, floated by his loyalists a few months ago, will be converted to a political party to take on Congress in the coming Assembly polls due in May.

Sources close to Rangasamy said that the new party will be announced in the next three weeks. Ahead of the may polls, intense political activities have commenced in Puducherry. Poll observers feel some opposition parties might hold parleys for an alliance with Rangasamy's new party.

Rangasamy was unseated from the chief minister's post in August 2008 and has been keeping a low profile since then. He distanced himself from party sponsored programmes and official functions except to attend the opening of the government maternity hospital and medical college here by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in October 2010.

In the 30-member Assembly, the seven-member DMK and three Independents are supporting the government from outside.

The opposition AIADMK has three members, PMK has two members and CPI and MDMK have one member each.